Scarred
by SakuraBlossom0989
Summary: She was cold-hearted and broken. Fate had ruined her life, she was a runaway. Yet at the same time she couldn't escape from the strings of fate. He had never believed in destiny, Fate had seemed to lose interest in him. But those strings finally caught him. They had both lost the meaning of happiness, maybe that's why Fate decided to play a cruel game of love. CURRENTLY EDITING
1. Prologue: The nightmare

Panting, she willed her legs to run faster. She knew that they would catch up to her soon. It hurt, but she knew that if she didn't hurry, then all hope would be lost. She could do this. She _would_ do this. With a new flame of hope burning in her eyes, she went through all the information that she had about them. Even if that information had been at the cost of her left eye.

Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. Her eyes were wide, but then a small smile spread on her face. She knew what to do. Pulling a dagger out of her bag, her emerald eyes burning, she cut her waist length hair. The soldiers watched, astonished, as the strands of hair fell down to the ground. With a challenging smile, she brushed her fingers through her now shoulder-length hair.

"You think that just by cutting your hair you can stop us?" One of them laughed, coming closer. She only grinned before bringing the dagger down. Blood splashed everywhere, but she didn't care.

_There. Now try and bring me back to that hell-hole now. _She felt a tinge of amusement at their pale faces. Her knuckles where white as she held on to the dagger that was in her stomach. It was bleeding profusely and her vision was becoming blurred. Pulling it out, she held the blood-stained dagger to her throat.

"Your _king_ told you to bring me back alive, didn't he?" She let out a shaky laugh as some droplets of blood formed on her throat, "With every step you take, this dagger will be embedded deeper. Now, who do you want to face, me or your angry king?" They cursed and started to get farther away from her, eventually running away to call for reinforcement. She wouldn't last long, and she knew that they were aware of this as well. For now, the least she could do was get farther away from them.

With small steps, she made her way through the forest. Her left eye was still bleeding from what had happened to her before she ran away. Her right eye, which was unharmed, was already throbbing. Her stomach hurt, and her throat felt sore from thirst. Her clothes, which by now had gotten ripped, were barely shielding her from the cold night's winds.

Her hand reached up to grasp her necklace, her symbol for hope. With deep breaths, she spotted a cottage in her blurry vision. Relief washed over her and soon she collapsed in front of the cottage. With the last ounce of strength left in her, her right eye burned with an inner flame as she cast winds to blow away her footprints.

As darkness seized her, she faintly heard a panicked voice say, "Are you alright? Who are you?" Her lips parted slightly as she whispered the only name that came to her mind;

"_Ying Fa."_

_**Author's note:**_

_**Ohayo minna! This idea has been gnawing at me for a while, so I decided to write it out! This is my new story, **_'Scarred'_**! This was the – as usual – short prologue. **_

_**Please tell me what you think of it in a review! :)**_

_**Kura**_


	2. Chapter 1: The beginning

Tomoyo let a small sigh escape from her lips. Her amethyst eyes scanned the room until they rested on a young girl who was busy cleaning. The girl's golden hair was tied up, and her ruby eyes were downcast. Tomoyo felt a pang of pity for the girl when her eyes rested on the patch covering the left eye that would never open.

She felt someone rest a hand on her shoulder and sapphire eyes greeted her warmly. The person brushed her raven bangs from her forehead and gave her a small smile. Tomoyo lovingly smiled back, before giving her attention to the girl once more.

"She's at it again, isn't she?" The low voice of her husband whispered in her ear. It was more of a statement rather than a question, and she sighed. Her husband, Eriol, smiled in return, his midnight blue hair brushing against her cheek.

"It's only been one day since her recovery and she is still working. God forbid her injuries get worse." Eriol chuckled lowly, his eyes fixed on the young girl they had found half-dead in front of their cottage.

_It was midnight, and the moon and stars had been covered by the large curtain of clouds. Eriol sat beside his wife, and despite the thick darkness outside, they found warmth in the small fire of their fireplace. With a small, content sigh, Tomoyo rested her head on his shoulder. A scent of lavender enveloped him, and the couple sat together in a comfortable silence._

_A sudden gust came and the door flew open, revealing the pitch black darkness which blinded Tomoyo. Half-heartedly leaving her husband's embrace, she grabbed a lantern and went to close the door. Humming a small tune under her breath, Tomoyo's hand reached out to close the door, only to suddenly fall to her side._

_A horrified gasp escaped her lips, and the lantern fell to the ground a low thud. Eriol, sensing that something was amiss, quickly came to his lover's side only to freeze in shock. Lying in front of their door, a young girl, probably around Tomoyo's age, was lying in a pool of crimson blood. Her auburn hair was drenched in the red liquid and her skin was a ghostly white. Her clothes were ripped and barely covered the girl._

_When Eriol finally regained his senses, he quickly knelt beside the girl and turned her over before lifting her head up. His hands were already stained red, but that was the least of worries. Tomoyo was kneeling beside him, and he knew that both of them were sharing the same feeling of anxiousness for the girl – who they presumed was dead. _

_A flicker of hope came to their hearts when one eye slightly opened to reveal emerald pools. The other was cut and would never open to see light again. Tomoyo tried to keep her voice from shaking as she tried to ask the girl who she was and where she came from. Her lips parted slightly, and Tomoyo had to bring her ear closer to the girl's lips to hear what she was saying._

_The only thing she managed to hear before unconsciousness gained control on the girl at last, was:_

"_**Ying Fa."**_

_Tomoyo had used her best herbs and medicines to heal her. It was a game between life and death, and for a moment he had almost lost hope in her recovery, but at that moment Tomoyo had come rushing down the stairs with a loud cry of, "She's awake!"_

_Rushing to the room with his wife, Eriol's eyes widened at the girl who sat before him, head bowed. Her blonde hair was shielding her eyes, but when she looked up he saw a ruby gem staring back at him, the other hidden._

"_How are you feeling…Ying Fa, is it?" He asked, careful not to startle the girl. Ying Fa stared at him for a moment before replying in monotone, "I am fine, thank you. My name is Ying Fa." _

_Tomoyo and Eriol's eyes met, worry evident in them. Tomoyo quickly sat in front of Ying Fa and motioned for Eriol to leave. As he closed the door, snippets of their conversation reached his ears._

"_Ying Fa-san… how did you get hurt?"_

With a frustrated growl, Eriol walked to Ying Fa and waited until she would finally look up. When she did, her hard, dull eye caught him off guard. Regaining his composure, he said, "Ying Fa-san… You know you do not have to work, your injuries are still healing," To emphasize on that, his nodded towards her arm, where a purple bruise was still there.

"But I have to show my gratitude to the people who took care of me," Her emotionless voice replied. Eriol gave a small sigh in defeat. Despite her lack of emotions, they knew that deep inside, she was a kind-hearted person who always thought of others, and could be quite stubborn.

"But if you really want to show your gratitude then get better quickly." He smiled at the look in her eye. She was considering it. After a few minutes, Ying Fa stood up and bowed to him. Eriol watched, mildly shocked as she straightened up, a serious look on her face.

"Hiiragizawa-san, I will go to the town and bring supplies. That wouldn't be too taxing on my body, would it?" A triumphant shine came to her eyes and Eriol knew that on the inside she was smirking at him.

"…Fine." He admitted defeat as Tomoyo, who had witnessed the scene, giggled softly.

Walking on the path, Ying Fa's eye softened as she thought of the couple that had treated her so kindly. It warmed her cold heart, but nothing could break that ice wall she had built. _I don't want to go through that again…_ She thought. _It was hard enough casting a spell on them so that they would forget my old appearance. If I use too much magic, _they _might track me down._

Shaking her head slightly, her hand reached out to cover her eye-patch. She hated it. The pain, the sadness, and the loneliness she felt. The memory of her life before being found by Eriol and Tomoyo was blurry, as if someone was taking away the pieces she needed to place it all together. From what remained, she had a vague idea of what kind of enemy she was facing. Sullenly, she brushed her bangs to cover the eye-patch. The information that she had lost her eye for… it was all gone.

In her regret and frustration, Ying Fa hadn't realized that she had already entered the town and was now aimlessly walking through the market. A shout broke her from her thoughts, and she turned around to meet a middle aged man, who was looking at her kindly, albeit with a hint of slightly being annoyed.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry to startle you. I just wanted to ask you something," The man spoke, and his aura told her that she could trust him, "You seem new here, could it be that this is your first time here?" Ying Fa nodded slightly, but did not speak a word.

"I see. Most of the people here are quite friendly, so I hope that you enjoy your first visit." He flashed her a fatherly smile and walked off, leaving Ying Fa with what could only be called a warm feeling spreading in her. It disappeared quickly, though, and she resumed her walk, hoping to find all the supplies that Tomoyo needed.

True to the man's words, many people greeted her with friendly smiles, and she gave a curt nod their direction, her mind somewhere else. _It's just like back then… Except in a different place… _She suddenly heard a loud shout; this one more panicked, and as if by their own will, her legs took her to the source of the sound. The first thing she noticed was a small boy, probably a few years younger than her, with tears running down his face. His wide, innocent eyes were filled with fear as he stared at the man who was shouting at him. She stepped closer, just in time to hear the man shout.

"Do you know who I am? I am one of the kingdom's greatest nobles! How dare scum like you try to frame _me_ for theft?!" His face was bright red with rage, and he raised his hand to strike the small boy.

At that moment, a small but firm hand grabbed that of the noble. When he turned around, boiling rage in his eyes, he met such a fierce glare that a chill ran down his spine. A cold, stony ruby eye stared at him emotionlessly, yet at the same a fire of rage burning within.

"Who are you?! Don't interfere with me, one of the-" His statement was cut off by a burning pain in his cheek. Covering the area that Ying Fa had slapped, his hard eyes showed a flash of fear in them when he realized that the woman he was facing was not one to be under-estimated.

"Noble or not, I will never excuse such cruelty. I am giving you one last chance to leave right now, before you are stripped of nobility." It took all of her strength to keep her anger from showing in her voice, but some of it managed to get out, and she felt a tinge of sadistic amusement at the noble's terror.

"What?! You can't do something as foolish as that!" He shouted; panic seeping into his voice at the cold glare he received.

"What family do you come from?" Ying Fa's red eye looked like a crimson orb, a storm raging inside. She felt disgusted just looking at the shaking man. In her anger, she hadn't noticed the small crowd that had gathered around them.

"I am from the Terada family, and am the sole heir!" He shouted, hoping to shake this girl by demonstrating his high status. To his confusion and surprise, Ying Fa's glare deepened.

"I happen to know the Terada family personally, and never in my life have I heard of you. Tell me, what is the new emblem of the family?" Some people in the crowd were astonished by her strange question, but her expression was serious.

"W-what are you saying? The Terada family never changed their emblem!" The noble argued, and she slightly tiled her head in his direction.

"I see… But as the heir you must have heard about the idea of the new emblem." Her calculating eye didn't show any anger this time, just a triumphant gleam.

"I-it's a peony, isn't it?" Now a bored look came to her face, as she slowly shook her head and led the small boy away. Her voice, though soft, was cold.

"No." As she walked away, her ears picked up the sound of the fake-noble being carried away. _It wasn't peonies…. It was cherry blossoms… They had done it for me… _Her eye was glassy, but a small tug at her dress let her push those thoughts to the back of her mind.

"'Nee-san, 'nee-san! How did you make that mean guy stop being mean?" The light brown eyes of the young boy stared into her own, a small smile on his face. She looked around to see if anyone was watching. Satisfied to know that there was no-one there, Ying Fa's hand patted his head, as she spoke to him softly.

"I used magic. Onee-san doesn't let bad guys hurt good children. But, can you keep this our little secret?" When she received an excited nod in reply, she waved to the boy as he went away, a cheerful grin on his face.

Her eye now hardened once more, and she walked away as if nothing had happened. _I can't let myself get attached…_

Unknown to Ying Fa, a pair of eyes had been watching this exchange between her and the small boy.

Amber eyes gazed at the spot where the young woman had once stood. Her golden hair stood out, and it intrigued him how emotionless that ruby red eye of hers could be.

"Prince Li, we are leaving for the palace now. Is there any problem?" A soldier called out, already seated on his horse.

Leading his horse away, the young man's voice seemed to fade into the distance as he spoke;

"No, it's nothing… I was just wondering about something."

_**Author's note:**_

_**Ohayo gozaimasu minna! Thank you for the lovely reviews on the prologue! Also, thank you to all the people who faved and followed this story! ^^**_

_**I updated as soon as I could! (Though, tomorrow is my result day T_T Wish me luck, minna!) I hope that this chapter was not confusing; in terms of Ying Fa's hair and eye color (most of you must have guessed by now who she is).**_

_**Please review and tell me what you think of this chapter! :)**_

_**Kura**_


	3. Chapter 2: Fate

"_Nee, okaa-san, what's your favorite flower?" A small child called out, a loving tone in her voice. Ying Fa's eyes widened when she saw the figure. Even if the face was not clearly visible, she knew, in the depths of her heart, who that small girl was._

_Suddenly the girl started to run in her direction. Her body froze, and she watched in frozen horror as the small girl ran through her body, as if she was thin air, not even part of this world. The white space she had been standing in changed into a breathtaking Garden, with Nadeshiko flowers blooming all around._

_She didn't want to turn around, to face the nightmare that had been haunting her ever since. She wanted to block out the sound, but no matter how much she covered them, her ears would still have that ringing voice seeping through. Her heart felt like it had been stabbed, and the memories flooded through her, each like a blow to her mind and soul._

_Taking the risk of opening her eye and turning around, red engulfed her. It was everywhere. The red flames, the burning wood, the dead flowers, the blood. All of them made her want to scream, to cry, to just end this unbearable pain._

_It was with growing terror that she saw the young girl run to the scene, once again not noticing her, and drop unceremoniously to the ground on her knees. Tears fell like a waterfall, never ending, never drying. Letting out a wail that made her own heart constrict, Ying Fa saw the girl let out a final sob before collapsing to the ground next to the limp figure of her mother. The two figures, one unconscious and the other dead, were surrounded by a pool of blood. _

_Her blood ran cold when a third figure came next to the two bodies. In his hand was a sword that had a ruby gem in its hilt, the red color matching that of the pool of blood as he raised it and stabbed the woman in the stomach. Her eye was wide and diluted, the blood splattering everywhere but passing through her. Shaking uncontrollably, she stared down at her hands which were without a speck of blood, yet in her eyes she could see nothing but the red liquid. Her voice was stuck in her throat, and finally came out as a heart-wrenching scream;_

"_OKAA-SAN!"_

A small gasp escaping her lips, Ying Fa's eye snapped open. It was with ragged, shaky breaths and unbearable pain that she willed herself to get out of the futon. Shivers crawled up her spine at the memory of her nightmare. Every detail was imprinted in her mind, the blood, the ruby in the sword flashing as the figure killed-

A small sob threatened to come out at the very mention of what had happened. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she tried to wipe them away with her hand. Looking down at her pale skin, she let herself feel some comfort from the fact that there was no blood on it this time.

It hurt. It killed her. But she was already dead inside. Her heart had been closed off and forever would. _That child is gone… I've grown up… I have to take care of this… _She knew that it was her mission, but the pain made her think about things that were taboo for her. _Okaa-san…_

_I have to be strong; you can do this Ying Fa… _She repeated to herself. She wholeheartedly let herself be distracted by the weather outside. It was quite dark, and from the distance she could faintly see the sun rising. Its pale light cast a light blue hue over the sky as light came and dark left. The scene itself was breathtaking, but Ying Fa was in too much pain to appreciate the beauty of nature.

Letting out a sigh of defeat, she quickly donned her kimono and made herself look presentable, even if she was already aware that the couple who took her in was still asleep. Loneliness started to consume her, but Ying Fa was one who had bared much worse. The silence felt comforting, as it helped her to regain her calm and emotionless attitude.

Sliding the paper door, she was met with the sight of a kotatsu in the main room. _Heavens bless Tomoyo-san… _It was still quite cold, and she felt goosebumps rise on her skin. The biting chill made the kotatsu seem even more welcoming to her, and seating herself, she let her thoughts move towards the couple that she owed her life to. This kind of warmth, and kindness, it felt so foreign to her tainted heart. But it was this warmth that made the idea of leaving even more painful. _I don't want them to get involved in all of this… I want to protect them._

Resting her head on the table, her eye closed as she took deep, relaxing breaths to help her stiff muscles. The darkness that welcomed her whenever she closed her eyes, before she used to fear it, but now she felt immune to it. _My whole life is darkness... What was the light? I never seem to remember. _It was cruel, how Fate had twisted her life so much. _Is this what I lost my eye for? I haven't done anything; I haven't completed my mission… Is this pain my punishment?_

She had been too lost in her thoughts to hear the paper door slide open, or to hear the small padding of feet on the wooden boards. A hand resting itself on her shoulder woke her up, and with years of training, she expertly twisted the hand and brought her dagger up to the intruder's throat.

What met her instead were familiar sapphire orbs that stared at her with shock. The blood drained from her face. Her dagger, which had been held tightly in her hands, now fell to the floor as its master stared with horror at the person who she had attacked. Her hand fell limply to her side, slightly shaking.

_What have I done? W-why? _Ying Fa's eye was stinging and her voice lost. Eriol himself was frozen from the shock of the sudden encounter, but he quickly regained his composure and tried to speak to her.

"Ying Fa-san-"

"Eriol? Ying Fa? Why are you two awake so early?" The drowsy voice of a certain amethyst eyed girl broke them off. Her eyes widened at the appearance of the two. Eriol looked slightly shocked and scared and Ying Fa was as white as a ghost, pale and shaking. Concern made her temporarily forget the drowsiness as her mouth opened to speak.

_T-tomoyo-san… _For a fleeting moment, Ying Fa felt relief wash over her at the sight of the amethyst eyed girl. But that soon disappeared as the situation dawned on her. _I just attacked her husband… She'll hate me… _A small crack echoed in her mind. She sat there, frozen, and tried not to show her despair. That cracking sound was the wall around her heart. It had cracked ever so slightly, yet it seemed to wash over her like cold water. They would hate her. They would loathe her. The idea itself made her want to scream out in pain. _These people were so kind to me… but I still… I did something so horrible… _Suddenly a need enveloped her. The need to run.

With surprising agility and haste she sprang to her feet and ran out of the room, not hearing Tomoyo's calls and Eriol's shouts. _I can't face them… It's just too painful… _In her bare feet, she ran out of the cottage in to the town, hints of tears gathering at the corner of her eye.

Running in the town, the dim light of dawn casted shadows over the buildings, Ying Fa tried to understand the strange feeling in her heart, the wrenching pain and sorrow she felt. Even though the couple had been so kind to her, she knew that soon she would have to run away. _How would they feel if they had to take care of a girl who only remembers small snippets of her past? A girl who can only hurt others… I don't deserve their kindness…_

In her dreams, new memories would come, each one affecting her like a blow to her heart. The pain of not knowing what had happened to her, the pain of slowly finding out… it was too much. _I wish I could run away…_ But she had already done that. She had run away without telling them what was wrong. She had run away from them, she had betrayed them…

_It will be okay… Even if they hate me… _Her heart, even with its icy barrier, let out a twinge of pain at the thought. She had lost. She had gotten attached. _Why, Fate? Why?_ Her sprint had slowed down into a walk, her shoulders sagging with the weight of it all. Her knuckles were turning white from the frustration she felt. _Am I cursed? Do I have to repent for my sins? If that is why I'm experiencing this pain, then Fate, I applaud you for doing a good job. You won, so please… just stop all of this._

Raising her head to watch the light blue sky, she reached out with her right hand as if wanting to grab a portion of the sky. _It's so bright… So different from me…_ Seeing a bird fly past her, a feeling of envy spread through her body. If she could fly, then all of this pain wouldn't be able to hold her down. _If I just try, maybe, just maybe, I'll be okay. It will be hard, but I can manage. After all, I am your daughter, Okaa-san._

A small gust of wind, this time not by her magic, tousled her hair. The cold breeze felt nice against her skin. Closing her eye, just for that one moment, she let herself forget. About all the troubles. About her lost memories. About her pain. A sensation spread through her veins, and every fiber of her body felt as if she was soaring in the sky. Invisible wings seemed to sprout from her back, and it was then that she knew the true meaning of bliss.

Determination. That was what she felt when she opened her eyes. Just one second ago, Fate had showed her true bliss. Whether it was a gift or just calm before the storm, she didn't care. She had felt happiness. And now, she knew the answer. She wouldn't give up on this mission. _Okaa-san, I will face this. Even if you're no longer here, I'll be brave. Because that is my destiny._

When she came back to reality, a burning flame in that formerly dull eye, her world was surrounded by petals. They danced around her, some landing in her hair, others gently brushing against her cheeks. Looking around for the source of the beautiful flowers, her eye took in the sight of a large Sakura tree on top of a hill. The sun was just behind it, and cast a silhouette that would forever be imprinted in her mind. It was like heaven had sent a glimpse of it down to Earth, and she was the fortunate soul to witness this beauty.

_I found it. The Sakura tree in my dreams. _She thought, awestruck. Brushing a strand of golden hair behind her ear, Ying Fa let all her magic flow inside of her. Clasping her hands together, she cast a wind spell and watched the petals fly away to different corners of the land. It was as if her body had reacted on its own. The feeling thrilled her, despite the fact that she had no idea who would be receiving these. She had been careful not to use too much magic, lest the enemy should try and track her down. _I won't let my left eye go to waste. I will fight._

But this time, her spirits felt lightened. As the petals concluded their dance, she felt ready to face the world. _Okaa-san… Arigatou. I won't let you down._

"I'm going to set things right, step by step." She murmured, the small breeze that was left carrying her voice. Her lips twitched into a slight smirk. _I'm going to fix all of this. _"Even if I have no place to go."

"Then why don't you start by coming at the palace?" A smooth voice cut in, startling her. With a small gasp, she met glowing amber eyes that seemed to look into the depths of her soul. _So… Beautiful._

'_Do not give up on Fate,_

_It never abandons,_

_Only changes…'_

_**Ohayo minna! Sorry for updating late. I had a bit of a writer's block, until I heard Pachelbel's Canon. It lifted my spirits and fit this story so well. I suggest this to anyone who would like some nice classical music (I especially like it in D-major).**_

_**Putting that aside, I can't express my gratitude to all of you who gave me reviews and followed and favorited my story. It was amazing how many follows and faves I got for just two chapters! **_

_**I hope that for this chapter as well, all of you will support me. Once again I thank you all with all of my heart!**_

_**Kura**_


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